He [Dr. Preston Sacks] was personable and friendly. I felt like we had a good relationship. I felt he listened to me, but sometimes I wasn't sure what the next step was and had to ask. He was easy to talk to during visits and was present for every one of them, which made it a little easier to come in... The backend administrative team is next to impossible to work with. Their financial team would call to harass me for payments, despite the fact that I had previously spoken to them to get further information about what I owed. They were impossible to get ahold of unless they called you, they wouldn't respond to or even check their emails, and typically didn't seem to know what was going on with your account.

+ Read more

Age

36

Treated

2018

Success with this Doc

?

Race

European

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

2 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

He was personable and friendly. I felt like we had a good relationship. I felt he listened to me, but sometimes I wasn't sure what the next step was and had to ask. He was easy to talk to during visits and was present for every one of them, which made it a little easier to come in

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Stay on top of your care and be honest with him. While I liked him as a doctor, the back end systems of his clinic are very messy and painful to work with at times.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks made time to talk with me and my husband. He addressed our concerns and had an easy and personable manner. He was mindful of the fact that our budget was limited. He was present for every single monitoring session I had with the exception of 2 or 3 when he was on vacation during part of one cycle.

The nursing staff was very hit or miss. Sometimes they were great -- there were one or two who were always helpful and trustworthy, but the weekend staff and the rest of the team seemed like they were completely overworked and under-resourced. It was sometimes painful having to deal with them and get appropriate information. One time I went in for monitoring on a Sunday morning and was told I needed to trigger that day. The weekend nurse (not my usual one) promised she would call in the trigger shot to the pharmacy by 10am and then call me (since the pharmacy closed early on Sunday). By noon I still had not heard from her and I was frantically trying to call the on call team to get a call back from her. When I finally got ahold of her, she had confused me with another patient who also needed a trigger shot and had completely forgotten to call in mine. It all worked out in the end and we got the shot with an hour to spare, but it added much unnecessary stress and had I not been proactive, we would have missed out window. This is just one example of how the nursing staff was not always able to adequately serve patients. I don't completely blame them, as they all seemed lovely and competent, they just seemed to be put into a difficult work situation that leaves the patient at risk.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

Dr. Sacks is great, but the clinic is a disaster. The backend administrative team is next to impossible to work with. Their financial team would call to harass me for payments, despite the fact that I had previously spoken to them to get further information about what I owed. They were impossible to get ahold of unless they called you, they wouldn't respond to or even check their emails, and typically didn't seem to know what was going on with your account. During my last cycle, I got a call asking to make a payment, and it seemed higher than what I was expecting, so I asked for an itemized invoice so that I could verify the charges. I was sent it and then responded to that email with questions, because it didn't look right. I also called the person back and left a voicemail. I sent a subsequent email to the same person two days later. When they finally called me one week later, they stated that they hadn't checked their email in that period of time and had no idea what my questions had been. It then took another few hours to work out and by the time I was done with paying for that last round I had decided I was also done with Columbia Fertility, despite the fact that I liked my doctor. Dealing with every other aspect of the clinic was just too stressful.

Dr. Sacks was open to whichever we wanted and had an appropriate conversation with us about our options.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Lost paperwork

Failed to call with results

Provided conflicting information

Failed to convey critical information

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

5

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

9

Age

26 - 35

Treated

2009 - 2018

Success with this Doc

?

Treatment

3 Fertility Medications

Diagnosis

Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Uterine Fibroids

9

I started with Preston Sacks prior to TTC. He was always forthcoming with results and painted clear pictures of the obstacles to come. He is very easy to talk to and was very responsive to emails. Early on he determined that the issue was a male factor and referred us to one of his colleagues. He even took the time to set expectations on what to expect when working with the specialist which was extremely comforting.

+ Read more

Age

26 - 35

Treated

2009 - 2018

Success with this Doc

?

Race

Black or African-American

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

3 Fertility Medications

Diagnosis

Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Uterine Fibroids

9

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I started with Preston Sacks prior to TTC. He was always forthcoming with results and painted clear pictures of the obstacles to come. He is very easy to talk to and was very responsive to emails. Early on he determined that the issue was a male factor and referred us to one of his colleagues. He even took the time to set expectations on what to expect when working with the specialist which was extremely comforting. When dealing with infertility, having information is very important as it reduces anxiety regarding the unknown. He was very thoughtful and honest at ever step.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Even if you think they are silly.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

He was always open to listen to my concerns and answer any questions I have. He thoroughly explained every step of the process

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

We used clomid and timed intercourse for 3 cycles. When I didn't respond to clomid he used the step up method. After the 3 cycle, he ordered an SA for my husband. Upon the results he suggested IVF. Due to insurance/money issues we took a break.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

The nurses that I encountered were extremely nice with perfect bedside manner. Even when they called to say the pregnancy test were negative they were very gentle. These ladies are gems.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

The billing department is HORRIBLE. They have no problem informing you of a balance, yet are extremely slow providing information or answering questions. On several occasions I've had to follow up as well as get very stern. I'm not sure if they are understaffed or not good at their jobs. There are 2 women in particular I try to avoid at all cost. They are very brash and have somewhat of an attitude.

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

10

Age

31 - 34

Treated

2014 - 2017

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

12 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

Tubal Blockage, Unexplained

10

He's [Dr. Preston Sacks] very chatty and personable, which helped put me at ease during a number of procedures. One example: Before my egg retrieval, the nurse had trouble getting the IV started and I ended up passing out. I was very nervous about whether it would affect what happened that day, but he came in and immediately put me at ease, shared stories about himself passing out, etc.! He also remembered personal details about me in a really thoughtful way that I think went above and beyond.

+ Read more

Age

31 - 34

Treated

2014 - 2017

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European, Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Consultant

Order & Number of Docs Seen

2nd of 2 Docs

Treatment

12 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

Tubal Blockage, Unexplained

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I have been very happy with Dr. Sacks. He's been doing this a long time and really knows his stuff and knows the latest research, etc. He's always very responsive over email, which I really appreciate. And I have felt like overall he does a good job of balancing being realistic with being gentle. Like most fertility doctors, he's not overly emotional or super outwardly compassionate, but I always felt like he cared (he wasn't harsh) and also like he was telling me how it is (not sugar coating). He's often hesitant to give specific chances/percentages, but when he has them, he shares them. There have been a couple times where I wondered why he didn't suggest or say something different, but overall I have been very happy. He also has a really good, calming bedside manner. He's very chatty and personable, which helped put me at ease during a number of procedures. One example: Before my egg retrieval, the nurse had trouble getting the IV started and I ended up passing out. I was very nervous about whether it would affect what happened that day, but he came in and immediately put me at ease, shared stories about himself passing out, etc.! He also remembered personal details about me in a really thoughtful way that I think went above and beyond.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Be prepared for the fact that he's very chatty :)

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks and everyone at Columbia Fertility always made me feel like an individual. He (and they) always knew my name, remembered personal details about me (in a comforting, not creepy way) and I always felt like they were giving me advice based on who I was, not some standard. Dr. Sacks is very responsive over email and is very personable.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

In summary: 6 natural IUIs with donor sperm; 1 cycle with Clomid where I had the bad side effect that affected my vision; 5 IUI cycles with Letrozole. That included an ectopic pregnancy (after an HSG test) and ultimately doing another HSG test and finding a blocked tube (likely from the ectopic). Then moved to IVF and egg retrieval followed by PGS/PGD. Resulted in two embryos. First resulted in a miscarriage. After that, did a bunch of tests via bloodwork to rule out immunological issues. As of this writing, six weeks pregnant from second FET.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

The nurses at CFA are wonderful! I've been with them long enough that the nursing staff has changed, but everyone I've interacted with has been so helpful and compassionate. Some are responsive over email, though not all. But they have been extremely helpful at all stages of the process -- whether figuring out prescriptions, helping me get seen "off schedule" or rushing some blood work, or generally being understanding and compassionate and reassuring and friendly. I really feel like they are pulling for me and know me as an individual.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

Overall, I've been very happy with CFA and feel like I get much more personalized care and treatment than I hear about people getting with Shady Grove.

Monitoring is done between 7:30-9:30 and generally I found it to be pretty efficient. Some days I'd be out of there in 5 minutes, if all I needed was blood work and there weren't many people there. Other days, it might be more like 30 minutes or so, if it was more crowded and I needed blood work and a sonogram.

I did not have insurance coverage so it was very expensive. Natural IUIs were $500. Monitored IUIs were $1,000. Medicated IUIs were $1,500. IVF with FET was about $18,000 not including medication or the PGD testing, which added about $2,000. Just the FET was $3,500.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Provided conflicting information

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

8

Age

22 - 33

Treated

2006 - 2017

Success with this Doc

?

Treatment

3 IUI

Diagnosis

PCOS

8

Dr. Sacks diagnosed me with PCOS approximately 10 years ago. He treated my PCOS with metformin and later birth control pills....Dr. Sacks is extremely knowledgeable and is able to speak to current literature and studies clearly while taking your individual situation into account. Dr. Sacks is always on time and addresses any questions you ask, though during standard monitoring appointments, his time is somewhat short. For consultations, he will take all the time necessary...Be prepared with questions you want to ask him...

+ Read more

Age

22 - 33

Treated

2006 - 2017

Success with this Doc

?

Race

European

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

3 IUI

Diagnosis

PCOS

8

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks is extremely knowledgeable and is able to speak to current literature and studies clearly while taking your individual situation into account. Dr. Sacks is always on time and addresses any questions you ask, though during standard monitoring appointments, his time is somewhat short. For consultations, he will take all the time necessary.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Be prepared with questions you want to ask him

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Columbia Fertility sees a high volume of patients. They are efficient in seeing all patients, particularly during routine blood tests and sonograms. The front office staff and nurses are friendly and helpful.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

Dr. Sacks diagnosed me with PCOS approximately 10 years ago. He treated my PCOS with metformin and later birth control pills. When trying to conceive, I completed approximately 12 months of treatment with clomid while monitoring my cycles, Dr. Sacks recommending clomid for PCOS treatment. For most of those cycles, I also utilized ovidrel to trigger ovulation. At the end of approximately 1 year, Dr. Sacks conducted a laparoscopy and recommended we proceed with IUI. Following this, I complete IUI, again using clomid and ovidrel. To date, all cycles have resulted in negative pregnancy tests.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

The nursing staff are capable and compassionate. Columbia Fertility has a variety of nurses who all participate in your care.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

Columbia Fertility is a high volume operation, but they are efficient, responsive, and on time with knowledgeable practitioners, reasonably friendly office staff, and friendly and capable nurses.

IUI was partially covered by my insurance, so that cost was $500 per cycle plus approximately $85 for ovidrel.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Failed to call with results

8

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

8

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

10

Age

34

Treated

2017

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

3 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

While we're still in the midst of our treatment and have had several setbacks, including a recent miscarriage, Dr. Sacks has been empathetic and present throughout our entire time with him. He's always done our exams; our procedures; and been responsive to our emails/calls. After a very negative experience at another doctor's office, I have nothing bad to say about Dr. Sacks or his team.

+ Read more

Age

34

Treated

2017

Success with this Doc

No

Race

European

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

2nd of 2 Docs

Treatment

3 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

While we're still in the midst of our treatment and have had several setbacks, including a recent miscarriage, Dr. Sacks has been empathetic and present throughout our entire time with him. He's always done our exams; our procedures; and been responsive to our emails/calls. After a very negative experience at another doctor's office, I have nothing bad to say about Dr. Sacks or his team.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Come prepared with what you want to know, questions/concerns/etc.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. sacks is very empathetic--very patient and answered all our questions. When he delivered good or bad news, we've gotten it all, he was always responsive and always was the one we heard from.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

for IVF: I was on 150 mL of Gonal F and 150 of Menopur (plus ganirelix) to stop ovulation.
The first cycle, none of my embryos made it to blastocyst. Second cycle, Dr. Sacks didn't change my treatment (he said that he was happy with our response, so hopefully, we'd get a different batch of embryos)
We got 10 embryos--3 made it to blastocyst--and after PGS, we got two back
One was transferred, which subsequently ended in a miscarriage.

Heather is amazing--she's warm, positive, and always responsive. She has been a great resource over the course of our treatments.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

My only complaint about Columbia has been their billing--there are some times that they ask for my co-pay, other times that they don't, and we get billed for three or four visits at a time, which can be frustrating.

We asked Dr. Sacks for his recommendation--and he said one. So we went with one. He talked us through the risks of both.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Provided conflicting information

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

8

Age

32

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

2 Eggs Frozen

Treatment

1 Egg Freezing

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

8

Dr. Sacks takes his time to explain answers to all of my questions. I found the most benefit from this during our consultations. When doing quick sonograms or blood tests, I did feel the time crunch but Dr. Sacks always answered me thoughtfully and honestly. He has a nice bedside manner and does make you feel like he cares... He has always been patient and willing to explain procedures and outcomes in great detail. Dr. Sacks always has a good bedside manner and is very kind and friendly...

+ Read more

Age

32

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

2 Eggs Frozen

Race

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Marketer or PR

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 Egg Freezing

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

8

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Weakness: I feel that Dr. Sacks could have better explained my initial test results and what that meant for my likelihood to produce low # of eggs with stim meds. I did most of this research on my own but know he could have prepared me for the less than optimal results BEFORE choosing treatment.
Strengths: Dr. Sacks is clearly an expert in what he does and is more than capable of answering the most complex questions. He has always been patient and willing to explain procedures and outcomes in great detail. Dr. Sacks always has a good bedside manner and is very kind and friendly.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

To ask for detailed explanation of test results and what he will be looking for in continuous testing before and during rounds of treatment. He has the answers, there is just so much to cover to coming prepared with pointed questions is helpful.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks takes his time to explain answers to all of my questions. I found the most benefit from this during our consultations. When doing quick sonograms or blood tests, I did feel the time crunch but Dr. Sacks always answered me thoughtfully and honestly. He has a nice bedside manner and does make you feel like he cares.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

First round of stim meds for egg freezing was 300 IU of menopur. I only needed one ganorelix shot before retrieval as I ended up on the menopur for longer than expected - 13 days.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

The service provided by nursing staff varied quite a bit. In person, most are pleasant and helpful. However, I find myself regularly asking for them to leave my test results on email or phone, only to get a call with instructions for next steps and no context. As someone who like to always know all of the information, this was frustrating. I was also originally assigned to one specific nurse for questions but found she didn't always respond and in person did not have great bedside manner. I do with there was one nurse per physician to handle questions/follow up, or at the very least, pass along communications better.
Lastly, there were a few instances where I know the nurse had not looked at my chart before answering questions and then would adjust her response/suggestion accordingly. This was only a few times, but there is room for improvement on patient-nurse connection.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

Strengths: Appointments always on time, front desk staff is nice, clinic is convenient to downtown area of DC.
Weaknesses: The finance department is one woman who is quite nice, but I've found over 3 errors in our financial communications when first starting out on round 1. I would love if it was standard procedure to tell patients their test results each time on voicemail or email. It felt like I was bothering them to ask for it.

Very efficient monitoring appointments. Even when it seemed crowded, their system is optimized for quick visits to get you out the door. I also like that the time frame is early morning so we aren't forced to miss work.

First found of egg freezing was about $8,300 plus the cost of meds. Second round is a little lower to account for freezing cost already covered, about $7500. The third round (not yet completed) will be free besides cost of anesthesia ($500) and meds. This is part of a "buy 2, get one free" egg freezing package.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Failed to call with results

8

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

9

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

10

Age

37 - 38

Treated

2015 - 2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

8 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

Uterine Fibroids, Unexplained

10

Dr. Sacks personally responded to my emails and phone calls and was always available for appointments. I only met with nurses and other support staff after discussing my care directly with Dr. Sacks... Dr. Sacks recommended a conservative approach.... He worked closely with me to develop a treatment plan and communicated every step in language I could understand. He gave his opinion frankly, but was kind and supportive.

+ Read more

Age

37 - 38

Treated

2015 - 2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European, South Asian, Latino, Black or African-American, Other

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Writer

Order & Number of Docs Seen

2nd of 2 Docs

Treatment

8 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

Uterine Fibroids, Unexplained

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks has an excellent bedside manner and treats patients as if he is personally invested in their well-being and success. He worked closely with me to develop a treatment plan and communicated every step in language I could understand. He gave his opinion frankly, but was kind and supportive.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Be honest and open to honesty

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks personally responded to my emails and phone calls and was always available for appointments. I only met with nurses and other support staff after discussing my care directly with Dr. Sacks. Any problems I had were resolved personally by Dr. Sacks. I never felt like a number or just another patient. He has an excellent bedside manner and treats patients as if he is personally invested in their well-being and success.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

I had a mixed experience. Care was far from terrible, but I often had to go directly to Dr. Sacks for confirmation and follow up of details as communication from the nursing staff was inconsistent and sometimes inaccurate. One of the nurses in particular was not well informed and almost caused me to cancel a cycle unnecessarily.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

As mentioned before, the nursing team could be more professional and better trained. Thankfully, Dr. Sacks was easily accessible and perhaps aware of the nursing staff's deficiencies, so my care did not suffer, but the staff should be reliable as they interact closely with patients.

Because of my strong aversion to having twins, Dr. Sacks advised an eSET, which proved to be the right choice as I still conceived twins (one vanishing at 8 weeks).

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Provided conflicting information

Failed to convey critical information

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Compassion

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

7

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

10

Age

33 - 35

Treated

2014 - 2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

6 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

PCOS

10

Dr. Sacks was incredibly warm, concerned with our personal circumstances, straight with us in terms of managing our expectations but also helping us remain hopeful and not worry unnecessarily. He ALWAYS took the time to answe my questions thoroughly and also was extremely responsive by email the few times I had urgent concerns or questions...Dr. Sacks was incredibly warm, concerned with our personal circumstances, straight with us in terms of managing our expectations but also helping us remain hopeful and not worry unnecessarily. He ALWAYS took the time to answe my questions thoroughly and also was extremely responsive by email the few times I had urgent concerns or questions.

+ Read more

Age

33 - 35

Treated

2014 - 2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European, Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

6 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

PCOS

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I can't recommend him highly enough. Dr. Sacks was extremely caring and thorough. He is very knowledgeable on all subjects related to fertility and was able to help us understand what was known by science and not known by science related to our particular circumstances. Sometimes he felt rushed at non critical visits, but if I initiated he was always available to answer questions. When it came time to handling difficult times/news with us, he was always patient and caring. Dr. Sacks also helped us avoid unnecessary procedures by helping us weigh the pros and cons of different options. I am so grateful that he was our doctor.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Be sure to ask all of your questions. He may seem rushed at times at routine visits (e.g. Ultrasounds) if the schedule is backed up, but he will always provide valuable answers to your questions. Also, he's very responsive by email.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks was incredibly warm, concerned with our personal circumstances, straight with us in terms of managing our expectations but also helping us remain hopeful and not worry unnecessarily. He ALWAYS took the time to answe my questions thoroughly and also was extremely responsive by email the few times I had urgent concerns or questions. Dr. Sacks also took time out of his very busy schedule to attended the Bris of our son. He honestly came to feel like part of our family. We were definitely not numbers to him!

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

I started with Climid, then the off-label breast cancer drug (can't remember the name) combined with six IUIs, then two fresh IVF cycles. My first IVF cycle none of the eggs fertilized properly (initial failure then ICSI after 24 hours but none implanted). The second IVF cycle we did ICSI and had 7 embryos, one of which we implanted and gave us our beautiful baby boy! (I have PCOS but it seems, perhaps, that the issue was the egg-sperm interaction).

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

There was some variability with the bedside manor of the nurses. One in particular was extremely caring from the beginning. The others were better once my treatment got further along in the process (more intensive treatment). A few didn't study my chart carefully before talking with me, which I found annoying and also at time upsetting depending on the confusion. However, by in large the nursing care was good.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

Strengths -- more personable compared to larger clinics, excellent doctor, mostly great nurses, high frequency of seeing doctors, responsiveness of doctor and nurses by email, choir follow up / communicating test results and answering questions
Weaknesses -- billing team is at times disorganized, difficult to contact to resolve question or their errors, and sometimes callous (calling to demand late peymebt even though bills were not mailed)

We had Fertility treatments covered by insurance, so it was the cost of the premium (I opened a secondary plan to cover IVF), copays, and some of the drugs for IUI

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Provided conflicting information

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

7

Age

32 - 36

Treated

2012 - 2016

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

2 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

7

Dr. Sacks has a very nice beside manner. He takes the time, particularly at the beginning, to make you feel comfortable. As you go in for more and more ultrasounds, he spends less time with you, but he is always kind...On my second round of IVF, Dr. Sacks used the same protocol and medicine for me, although I was four years older, and now over 35. That resulted in only one usable embryo, and I wished that he would have changed the protocol to accommodate for changes in my eggs and body. That transfer did not work, and as we were paying out of pocket for that round, we are not able to try again.

+ Read more

Age

32 - 36

Treated

2012 - 2016

Success with this Doc

No

Race

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Marketer or PR

Order & Number of Docs Seen

2nd of 2 Docs

Treatment

2 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

7

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I really enjoyed working with Dr. Sacks. He even responded to emails and followed up with me when I had complaints about his staff. My first two transfers with him resulted in pregnancies, and we would have had two children now, but I had a rare occurrence of amniotic band syndrome in the 12th week of my first pregnancy that resulted in the internal amputation of the baby's arms and a portion of its skull, which likely would have resulted in a miscarriage later in the pregnancy or a child who could not survive outside of the womb. For those reasons, we decided to end that pregnancy. On my second round of IVF, Dr. Sacks used the same protocol and medicine for me, although I was four years older, and now over 35. That resulted in only one usable embryo, and I wished that he would have changed the protocol to accommodate for changes in my eggs and body. That transfer did not work, and as we were paying out of pocket for that round, we are not able to try again.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Ask as many questions as you need. Never feel like you can't reach out to Dr. Sacks with questions. If you want a doctor with a very gentle and lovely bedside manner, Dr. Sacks is a good bet.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks has a very nice beside manner. He takes the time, particularly at the beginning, to make you feel comfortable. As you go in for more and more ultrasounds, he spends less time with you, but he is always kind.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

Nurses were occasionally helpful, but seemed more interested in getting in and out of the room. I was very disappointed that after the loss of our first baby at 12 weeks, the nursing team called at the baby's due date to ask for information for their statistics. They were made aware that we had to terminate the pregnancy and a phone call at the due date was extremely upsetting.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

The office is decently run, but be careful if you're paying out of pocket. My insurance didn't cover IVF, so I paid out of pocket for the full IVF procedure. That included blood tests and other monitoring. However, I found that the clinic was also charging my insurance company for all of these tests. I had to ask several times for them to remove the charges to my insurance company, or pay me back for those tests. They eventually pulled the charges from my insurer. The woman who does the blood tests during the week is all business, but remember that she's taking blood for several hours a day, so be nice and you'll eventually get her to crack a smile.

The monitoring appointments were a bit of a cattle call. Earlier in the morning took longer. But this was fine for me because I couldn't guarantee I would be there on time if I had a specific appointment time.

The doctor asked what we were comfortable with -- would we be OK with twins? When i expressed that my husband was terrified of twins, he said he would only do one embryo at a time. It seems like he would not do more than two at a time.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Failed to call with results

7

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

7

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

10

Age

38 - 42

Treated

2011 - 2015

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

1 IUI, 6 IVF, 6 Egg Freezing

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality

10

We came to Dr. Sacks after our third 10 week miscarriage within 20 months. He listened to our history and spent hours discussing options and treatment... He remained engaged, thoughtful, and empathetic throughout the next 6 cycles of IVF to retrieve eggs and create enough embryos to test via PGD. He discussed every step in detail; shared studies; and introduced me to my therapist - we even laughed along the way.

+ Read more

Age

38 - 42

Treated

2011 - 2015

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

Investor

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 IUI, 6 IVF, 6 Egg Freezing

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

See earlier comment

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

He is incredibly knowledgeable and up to date with the latest research; therefore I would not hesitate to engage him and ask as many questions as necessary to make you feel comfortable.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks is fantastic! We received and currently receive first rate care. We came to Dr. Sacks after our third 10 week miscarriage within 20 months. He listened to our history and spent hours discussing options and treatment. Due to insurance, we had to try an IUI prior to moving to IVF, although we knew it was an egg quality (chromosomal) issue. Dr. Sacks negotiated the insurance down from 3 to 1 IUI. However, 21 weeks into the pregnancy, the amnio revealed fatal chromosomal abnormalities. We made the decision to end the pregnancy. After that horrific experience, Dr. Sacks was simply amazing! He remained engaged, thoughtful, and empathetic throughout the next 6 cycles of IVF to retrieve eggs and create enough embryos to test via PGD. He discussed every step in detail; shared studies; and introduced me to my therapist - we even laughed along the way. We now have a 7 month old incredible little girl and are just about to return to transfer one of the two male embryos we have frozen. Washington Fertility Associates - the clinic - is a bit chaotic and you must actively manage your care - but it's all worth it for Dr. Sacks!!

The nurses that work directly with Dr. Sacks both in the examination room and in the procedure theater are great - compassionate, helpful, knowledgeable. Unfortunately, when it comes to ordering your meds, tracking your bills, and basic information the nurse coordinator and the financial coordinator must be heavily managed.

Monitoring is easy - everyday from 730-900 and the wait is not that long.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Failed to order appropriate test

Failed to send your chart to another clinic

Failed to inform you of changes in protocol

Provided conflicting information

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

10

Age

32 - 35

Treated

2012 - 2015

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

1 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Male Factor

10

I want lots of clear information about process and pros and cons of any options, to help me make decisions. Dr Sacks took tons of time to explain all of the treatment options we had to choose from, why he recommended IVF over IUI and what was a reasonable success rate. When deciding on how many embryos to transfer, he spoke to my husband at length about the statistical possibilities of multiple embryos leading to multiple births from an educated, well versed position.

+ Read more

Age

32 - 35

Treated

2012 - 2015

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

2nd of 2 Docs

Treatment

1 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Male Factor

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I want lots of clear information about process and pros and cons of any options, to help me make decisions. Dr Sacks took tons of time to explain all of the treatment options we had to choose from, why he recommended IVF over IUI and what was a reasonable success rate. When deciding on how many embryos to transfer, he spoke to my husband at length about the statistical possibilities of multiple embryos leading to multiple births from an educated, well versed position. He was supportive of all of our decisions. He had a great sense of humor and brought levity to the tense medical procedures. Two years after a successful IVF cycle, I emailed Dr Sacks out of the blue to ask him to participate on an educational panel to teach people about fertility treatment and options and he jumped at the opportunity to help out - on a Sunday! He is an all-around great doctor and person.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Try to get him talking about his personal life or his kids :)

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks knew me and my husband and took the time to talk to us during our consultation and during each monitoring appointment. He was warm and friendly. He even saw me on the street (fully clothed!) and stopped to talk.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

The billing at Columbia Fertility was a mess, I had a lot of back and forth to ensure that I was billed appropriately for a frozen cycle - the first cycle was cancelled and then I did another back-to-back, so there was a lot of items that had to be "credited" before I paid for the real cycle. They seemed to never remember a phone conversation I had with them, so it was like starting from scratch each time. The billing office was fine when dealing with the insurance company though. The people at the front desk who I saw each day/week were all lovely.

Dr Sacks recommended transferring 1 embryo due to my age and the way the embryo looked. He would have been ok if we wanted to do 2. He spoke at length to my statistics-expert husband about the rates of success with one or two embryos.

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

10

Age

34 - 35

Treated

2013 - 2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

7 Fertility Medications

Diagnosis

Anovulation, PCOS, Tubal Blockage

10

Dr. Sacks was the only doctor that treated me like my issue was important. He tested every hormone under the sun until he figured out the issue...He tested everything and finally found the issue with my pcos. It was a hormone imbalance. ...He was by the book. Started with clomid and then moved to injections. He didnt linger. If it wasn't yielding results he looked for he had no problem moving on to something else which is what i liked

+ Read more

Age

34 - 35

Treated

2013 - 2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

Black or African-American

Income

$0 - $49K

Occupation

Operations

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

7 Fertility Medications

Diagnosis

Anovulation, PCOS, Tubal Blockage

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

He tested everything and finally found the issue with my pcos. It was a hormone imbalance. He prescribed a medication and after about 7 months my period became regular. He started off with a low dose to gradually bring on change. My period was on time and fantastic for the first time in 18 years. He did a uterine xray to check for blockage which no one ever did before. And with that info we talked about what was best. He started with clomid slowly increasing the dosage, then injections. After no success I took a break for about a year. I went back to him in 2014 and we picked up right were we left off. We did clomid, and he did a uterine xray. things were still the same and then boom pregnant on first cycle back. He monitored me for the first 8 weeks and then I left. He is AMAZING

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Have patience. He is knowledgeable and kind. This is a long process and frustrating at times. He will be there to walk you through it and keep you hopeful.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks was the only doctor that treated me like my issue was important. He tested every hormone under the sun until he figured out the issue.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

He was by the book. Started with clomid and then moved to injections. He didnt linger. If it wasn't yielding results he looked for he had no problem moving on to something else which is what i liked

The only issue I have is location. I would love for them to open up an location in Maryland. Because they are in high demand it can be crowded but its a peaceful place. Getting an appointment is easy and everyone is compassionate

Minimal. My shots were covered ( i paid $75) and my clomid was covered. I paid a typical copay of $20

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Explained risks

Adaptability

10

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

7

Age

34

Treated

2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

1 IUI, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

—

7

The nurses were great, but other than our initial consultation, I never really saw Dr. Sacks except for procedures. Then, he basically came in and did the fertility test or the IUI and left. It felt very clinical and impersonal, particularly given that it was the start of the most meaningful and important thing I've done in my life...Dr. Sacks helped me get my son for which I am forever grateful, but it all felt very clinical and impersonal.

+ Read more

Age

34

Treated

2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European

Income

$50K - $99K

Occupation

Lawyer

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 IUI, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

—

7

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks was very friendly at the initial consultation, but I never really spoke to him again. It may have been different if I'd had a longer relationship with him, but I got pregnant after my first IUI. Basically, after the initial consultation, I saw Dr. Sacks at the HSG and the IUI, but he didn't really talk to me. The nurses handled all communications.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks helped me get my son for which I am forever grateful, but it all felt very clinical and impersonal.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

The nurses were great, but other than our initial consultation, I never really saw Dr. Sacks except for procedures. Then, he basically came in and did the fertility test or the IUI and left. It felt very clinical and impersonal, particularly given that it was the start of the most meaningful and important thing I've done in my life.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

I was with Dr. Sacks for two cycles. The first was unmedicated and unmonitored, but the home ovulation tests were never positive, so I asked the nurse if I could do an unmedicated, monitored based on my Internet research. I never spoke to Dr. Sacks about strategies or protocols. When the nurse scheduled my IUI, she told me that Dr. Sacks wanted me to have a trigger shot, so that was the only medication I used for my one IUI.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

The nurses were primarily responsible for communicating with me both by phone and in the office. They did all of the ultrasounds to monitor my ovulation and gave me all of the doctor's instructions in preparation for my IUI. They were all very nice and were prompt about calling me after a blood test. They weren't quick about calling back if I called them though.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

The staff at the clinic is terrible. I would call the financial coordinator over and over, have to leave a message, and never get a call back. Because of miscommunications with the clinic, my IUI wasn't covered by insurance, even though the clinic had told me in my initial meeting that my insurance would cover it.

I don't remember exactly. The testing, bloodwork, and ultrasound appointments were covered by insurance either at my usual co-pay or under the terms of my deductible. I had to pay for the IUI. I think it was about $750.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Lost paperwork

Provided conflicting information

7

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Frequency seen during appointments

6

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

0

Age

35 - 36

Treated

2010 - 2011

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

13 IUI, 2 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

Endometriosis

0

Dr Sacks is a very kind man. He has a good bedside manner. My only critique is that he did not seem to be that focused on my treatment plan. I did 12 IUI's (half medicated and half unmediated) and had 3 miscarriages. I know that hindsight is 20/20 but I would have liked to see him try harder to determine a cause for the miscarriages and recommend more aggressive treatment...I would tell a prospective patient that she should make sure she doesn't stay on the same protocol for too long if success is not happening with whatever Dr Sacks is doing. Although it is super hard to go on the internet and research other things, and we tend to assume that the doctor with the training knows what he is doing, and there is always value in being patient while TTC, sometimes you have to push!

+ Read more

Age

35 - 36

Treated

2010 - 2011

Success with this Doc

No

Race

East Asian

Income

$50K - $99K

Occupation

Teacher

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1st of 3 Docs

Treatment

13 IUI, 2 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

Endometriosis

0

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr Sacks is a very kind man. He has a good bedside manner. My only critique is that he did not seem to be that focused on my treatment plan. I did 12 IUI's (half medicated and half unmediated) and had 3 miscarriages. I know that hindsight is 20/20 but I would have liked to see him try harder to determine a cause for the miscarriages and recommend more aggressive treatment.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I would tell a prospective patient that she should make sure she doesn't stay on the same protocol for too long if success is not happening with whatever Dr Sacks is doing. Although it is super hard to go on the internet and research other things, and we tend to assume that the doctor with the training knows what he is doing, and there is always value in being patient while TTC, sometimes you have to push!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

He was personable.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

I myself wanted to do unmediated IUI to start since I had a good HSG, good ovarian reserve and was 34 years old. I did 5 rounds.
Then I went medicated with a trigger shot and Clomid. I had a miscarriage on my second medicated IUI. I had two more miscarriages with medicated IUI.
Then I went for the gonadatropins but the change in protocol was at my request. I did not get pregnant on any IUI with gonadatropins. At this point I decided to change doctors and take a break!

There are many nurses at CFA but Lorna was particularly excellent and compassionate during one of my miscarriages that was treated as a possible ectopic pregnancy and was thus resolved with methotrexate.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

There was a lot of variability in the followup of the nurses and the bedside manner of the nurses who take your blood. The Bethesda CFA was fabulously staffed. The D.C. CFA was always much more crowded and relatively more impersonal, so I preferred getting my monitoring done in Bethesda. I had an amazing nurse in Bethesda and am mortified that I cannot remember her name!

I did only IUI with Dr Sacks. I will have to go back to my records to look at the price for unmedicated but the fee for medicated was around $1000 per cycle not including meds.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Failed to call with results

0

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

3

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

10

Age

41 - 42

Treated

2016 - 2017

Success with this Doc

?

Treatment

3 IUI, 4 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

Dr. Sacks is not a big believer in overwhelming the body with a large amount of fetility drugs. A set drug regimen hoping to obtain a small amount of good quality eggs over a large batch of low quality eggs is the goal...Dr. Sacks shares his knowledge of both the IUI and IVF process. He is straight forward and does not require additional procedures if they are not needed. He takes his time and understands this is a frustrating and stressful undertaking for his patients...Dr. Sacks has taken the time to explain everything throughout the cycle process. I was never left with unanswered questions...

+ Read more

Age

41 - 42

Treated

2016 - 2017

Success with this Doc

?

Race

European

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

3 IUI, 4 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks shares his knowledge of both the IUI and IVF process. He is straight forward and does not require additional procedures if they are not needed. He takes his time and understands this is a frustrating and stressful undertaking for his patients.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

If having a child is truly your goal, have patience and understand the road may be (really) long but so worth the process when rewarded with a child.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks has taken the time to explain everything throughout the cycle process. I was never left with unanswered questions.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility after trying to have a second child. Dr. Sacks is not a big believer in overwhelming the body with a large amount of fetility drugs. A set drug regimen hoping to obtain a small amount of good quality eggs over a large batch of low quality eggs is the goal.

So far I've spend roughly $45.000 on treatments. An additional $8,000 on medications and $6,000 of donor sperm.

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

9

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

N/A

Age

29 - 30

Treated

2013 - 2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

1 Fertility Medications

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

N/A

Dr. Sacks was wonderful! I was a secondary infertility patient... I found him very responsive by e-mail, and very willing to provide me with the research base supporting his treatment decisions, which I really appreciated.

+ Read more

Age

29 - 30

Treated

2013 - 2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European, Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

Lawyer

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 Fertility Medications

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

N/A

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks was wonderful! I was a secondary infertility patient, who saw him on the recommendation of several dear friends after we struggled to get pregnant a second time. He seemed to strike an appropriate balance for a secondary infertility patient between running tests on the things that had changed (in my case, a precipitous decline in my ovarian reserve) and proceeding to treatment on the assumption that other things were unproblematic (my husband's fertility, tubal issues, etc.). He was incredibly compassionate during a very difficult time; I had had a complicated miscarriage right before I started seeing him, and he was very supportive and thorough when I subsequently became pregnant and had some complications that required a lot of early monitoring. I found him very responsive by e-mail, and very willing to provide me with the research base supporting his treatment decisions, which I really appreciated. We've since left the area, but I would absolutely consult with him when and if we try to get pregnant again.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Try to be in contact with him directly as much as you can. The nurses are fine, but the quality varies, and I find him to be much more responsive and on top of things.

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Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

10

Age

32

Treated

2014

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

1 IUI

Diagnosis

Male Factor, Unexplained

10

Dr Sacks was wonderfully, understanding, and hopeful....He agreed to try one more IUI and it worked! We are thankful that he steered us in this direction, and didn't just let us go ahead with IVF (which is much more profitable). He has always been attentive and confident that we would be able to have a baby, and always suggested what would be best for us.

+ Read more

Age

32

Treated

2014

Success with this Doc

No

Race

European

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Operations

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 IUI

Diagnosis

Male Factor, Unexplained

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I'm actually 16 weeks pregnant now - our 3rd IUI with Dr. Sacks worked! My husband and I had originally agreed to try IUI twice before moving onto IVF (which I'm sure you know has a much higher success rate). We went in to talk to Dr. Sacks about moving forward with IVF, and he suggested we try one more IUI, as they like to try 3 times before moving onto something else. We agreed to try one more IUI and it worked! We are thankful that he steered us in this direction, and didn't just let us go ahead with IVF (which is much more profitable). He has always been attentive and confident that we would be able to have a baby, and always suggested what would be best for us. He is also extremely accessible via email and I always had positive experience with his nurses and the rest of the hospital staff. We would wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Sacks and Columbia Fertility and would use them again in a heartbeat (but are hoping we don't have to!)

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

You're in good hands!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr Sacks was wonderfully, understanding, and hopeful.

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

6

Age

43 - 50

Treated

2004 - 2011

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

4 IUI, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

PCOS

6

Felt that Sacks ( who I love) still spent too much time looking at the numbers and not at ME...Sacks is caring but with me at least, was not as creative or thoughtful as he could have been. It took me three years to get pregnant and I felt more like he was following his standard playbook than thinking through what I really needed. I finally did some of my own research and after 3 years of trying, I suggested I should be on Metformin. Given my history of PCOS this seemed like an obvious choice and he was not especially receptive when I suggested it.

+ Read more

Age

43 - 50

Treated

2004 - 2011

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

—

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

Consultant

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

4 IUI, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

PCOS

6

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Sacks is caring but with me at least, was not as creative or thoughtful as he could have been. It took me three years to get pregnant and I felt more like he was following his standard playbook than thinking through what I really needed. I finally did some of my own research and after 3 years of trying, I suggested I should be on Metformin. Given my history of PCOS this seemed like an obvious choice and he was not especially receptive when I suggested it. But we did try it and I was pregnant within 6 weeks. A miracle!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Push to see him directly (as opposed to just reviewing your data) and encourage him to review your chart beyond the numbers. I was just within the range of normal in several categories so he never identified me as a candidate for different treatment. But in retrospect, the aggregation of these data points created a very different picture when put all together.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I eventually succeeded with a drug that I found through my own research. Felt that Sacks ( who I love) still spent too much time looking at the numbers and not at ME.

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

9

Age

39 - 42

Treated

2009 - 2012

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

1 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing

Diagnosis

Poor Egg Quality

9

Dr. Sacks was responsive and attentive. He has a great bedside manner; he's caring but straightforward. His staff didn't always communicate very well, though he responded quickly whenever I raised concerns.

+ Read more

Age

39 - 42

Treated

2009 - 2012

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

—

Income

$500K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing

Diagnosis

Poor Egg Quality

9

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I thought he was great. I trusted his judgment and always found him to be very responsive. He gave us his email address and always followed up quickly on any questions or concerns. I had several miscarriages before we saw him and now have two healthy children.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I trust Dr. Sacks more than I trusted his nurses, so I would stay in close touch with him and always doubleck directions.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks was responsive and attentive. He has a great bedside manner; he's caring but straightforward. His staff didn't always communicate very well, though he responded quickly whenever I raised concerns.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

The nurse assigned to me for our first child was very good and seemed to be on the ball. I went through two other embryo transfers and had a mixed experience. For our last embryo transfer, which did not work, I thought the nurse gave very confusing directions leading up to the transfer. When I raised concerns with her, she was a little cold.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Provided conflicting information

9

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

8

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

10

Age

38 - 42

Treated

2007 - 2011

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

6 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

—

10

I had an overall great experience with Dr. Sacks. He is very knowledgeable, sympathetic and a great communicator. CFA and Dr. Sacks was first recommended to me by another single mothers by choice (SMCs) in the DC area for his single-mom friendly attitude...We tried 6 or 7 IUIs (few last ones were medicated) and then moved on to IVFs...Dr. Preston Sacks has a very warm and SMC-friendly personality. He was very personal and sympathetic during the treatment and is a great doctor!

+ Read more

Age

38 - 42

Treated

2007 - 2011

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European

Income

$50K - $99K

Occupation

Operations

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

6 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

—

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I had an overall great experience with Dr. Sacks. He is very knowledgeable, sympathetic and a great communicator. CFA and Dr. Sacks was first recommended to me by another single mothers by choice (SMCs) in the DC area for his single-mom friendly attitude. I had a very positive experience with Dr. Sacks.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I have no advice...

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Preston Sacks has a very warm and SMC-friendly personality. He was very personal and sympathetic during the treatment and is a great doctor!

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

Frankly, I don't remember the protocols as my daughter is 7 years old now. We tried 6 or 7 IUIs (few last ones were medicated) and then moved on to IVFs.

Oh, I don't remember anymore as I had a good insurance at that time and they did help me navigate it.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Lost appointments

Scheduled the wrong procedure

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

5

Age

42 - 43

Treated

2010 - 2011

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

20 IUI, IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Tubal Blockage, Other

5

[Dr.] Sacks has a huge ego and when we mentioned we wanted to see Dr David in NY about immunological issues and adjunct alternative care, Sacks flipped out and was very rude to us. He is a good doc, but the ego comes with, and he is closed to immunological issues.

+ Read more

Age

42 - 43

Treated

2010 - 2011

Success with this Doc

No

Race

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Professor

Order & Number of Docs Seen

3rd of 8 Docs

Treatment

20 IUI, IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Tubal Blockage, Other

5

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. sacks is one of the best in DC. I would probably send people to Dr. Abbasid instead since she does immunological issues. Two big problems here: sacks has a huge ego and when we mentioned we wanted to see Dr David in NY about immunological issues and adjunct alternative care, Sacks flipped out and was very rude to us. A very bad experience. Second, if you are 42 or over, go to NY. DC labs can't handle older eggs. Check the SART stats to confirm my statement.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

See Dr. Abbasi instead, or prep yourself for a big ego and stupid, irrelevant conversations about restaurants and the fancy private club Sacks belongs to.... He is a good doc, but the ego comes with, and he is closed to immunological issues. Also, he thought I had a blocked tube while two other docs looking at the same photos disagreed with.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

The office staff could care less about patients. The doctor was good at first. Not later.

5

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Frequency seen during appointments

7

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

8

Age

34 - 40

Treated

2010 - 2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

10 IVF, Donor Eggs

Diagnosis

Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality

8

Dr. Sack's is willing to provide detailed information, response to questions, he'll respond to emails, he had endless consultations with me. I don't have any complaints about Dr. Sacks....The nursing staff seems overburdened. They frequently fail to return phone calls, to follow up with test results or to call with time sensitive information like when to begin medication.

+ Read more

Age

34 - 40

Treated

2010 - 2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

—

Income

$500K

Occupation

Lawyer

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

10 IVF, Donor Eggs

Diagnosis

Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality

8

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sack's is willing to provide detailed information, response to questions, he'll respond to emails, he had endless consultations with me. I don't have any complaints about Dr. Sacks.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks does a good job of treating patients like humans, but the staff - both nurses and administration are completely incompetent. The routinely fail to call with directions about next steps for medications or results from tests.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

The nursing staff seems overburdened. They frequently fail to return phone calls, to follow up with test results or to call with time sensitive information like when to begin medication.

Describe your experience with Columbia Fertility Associates.

I trust Dr. Sacks and that's the clinic's primary strength from my perspective. They are not well organized at all.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Lost appointments

Failed to call with results

Failed to inform you of changes in protocol

Lost results

Provided conflicting information

Failed to convey critical information

Canceled a cycle due to clinic error

8

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

8

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

34 - 35

Treated

2013 - 2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

2 Fertility Medications

Diagnosis

—

10

Dr. Sacks listened to what I had to say and was completely realistic with treatment options - he did not encourage me to proceed with treatments that were unnecessary. He gave me his email address which was wonderful and he personally responded to emails!...

+ Read more

Age

34 - 35

Treated

2013 - 2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European, Latino

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

Business Executive

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

2 Fertility Medications

Diagnosis

—

10

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

You will not see him at every visit, but trust that the nurses know what they are doing.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks listened to what I had to say and was completely realistic with treatment options - he did not encourage me to proceed with treatments that were unnecessary. He gave me his email address which was wonderful and he personally responded to emails!

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

My treatment was very limited. I took chlomid and he monitored my ovaries during the process so that we timed intercourse correctly. It was very easy and worked!

10

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

9

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

10

Age

29

Treated

2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

1 IVF, Egg Freezing

Diagnosis

Other

10

Because he [Dr. Sacks] always took the time to talk, and worked within my natural cycle instead of pumping me full of hormones so I could be on his schedule... He clearly knows his stuff, and is confident in his work. We trusted him. The only thing is that he talks a whole lot!

+ Read more

Age

29

Treated

2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

—

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 IVF, Egg Freezing

Diagnosis

Other

10

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

He clearly knows his stuff, and is confident in his work. We trusted him. The only thing is that he talks a whole lot!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

be patient with his chitchat

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Because he always took the time to talk, and worked within my natural cycle instead of pumping me full of hormones so I could be on his schedule.

Describe the protocols Preston Sacks used in your cycles at Columbia Fertility Associates and their degree of success.

I don't remember but we only had to do one cycle and it was extremely successful

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.

Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

4

Age

35

Treated

2013

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

4

I truly felt that Dr. Sacks cared about his patients... We ultimately did not cycle with him because we were unbelievably frustrated with our inability to get him to return phone calls in a timely manner, and the ineptitude of the billing department.

+ Read more

Age

35

Treated

2013

Success with this Doc

No

Race

European, Other

Income

$500K

Occupation

Entrepreneur

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1st of 3 Docs

Treatment

IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

4

How was your experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Dr. Sacks was recommended by my OB/GYN. During our initial visits, he was very pleasant and informative. We ultimately did not cycle with him because we were unbelievably frustrated with our inability to get him to return phone calls in a timely manner, and the ineptitude of the billing department.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Be forewarned that the admin and billing department can be very frustrating and this added frustration will come with an already emotionally trying and time consuming process.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates?

I truly felt that Dr. Sacks cared about his patients. We did not initiate a cycle with him because we did not feel the team around him was the right fit for us.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia Fertility Associates?

Lost paperwork

Failed to call with results

Provided conflicting information

Failed to convey critical information

4

Doctor

Preston Sacks

Communication

Compassion

Frequency seen during appointments

1

Clinic

Columbia Fertility Associates

Washington DC

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Educational Resources

– Read less

Ask a Question

Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Preston Sacks at Columbia Fertility Associates.